Came across an article in Fast Company about Dr. Ram Charan and got hold of two books by Dr. Ram:
What the CEO wants you to know and Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
I just finished "What CEO..." and it's filled with countless little gems in very easy to understand terms. Dr. Ram Charan grew up watching the footwear shop of his parents and teaches us the core nucleus of all successful businesses: Cash generation, margin, velocity, return on assets, growth, and customers. The concepts are illustrated by examples from the perspective of street vendor.
Very highly recommended. Now onto "Execution..."